Discussion: Report: White House Has Met With Potential Flake Primary Challengers

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#21

David Bossie is in on this effort to recruit a challenger. He’s a singular kind of SOB.

David Bossie, a long-time Republican operative and former deputy campaign manager for the Trump campaign. Bossie made a name for himself during 1990’s, when he was a dogged investigator of alleged wrong-doings committed by then President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary. He parlayed his notoriety and fame into the role of president of the conservative non-profit organization Citizens United, where he has written books and produced documentaries about the Clintons, among other subjects.

http://heavy.com/news/2017/06/david-bossie-trump-war-room-russia/

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#22

Exactly. What stunning stupidity! And what better way to actually piss of McConnell. I read that after PP Pac began running ads against Heller, McConnell was enraged as were a number of other GOPers. This certainly won’t help. Idiotic bullying like this is why I continue to believe there will be a point at which Republicans cut bait.

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#23

I am hoping that TrampCo’s efforts to intimidate Flake by threatening to primary him and Flake’s response that he’ll run as an Independent if they do is rapid karma for Tramp threatening the GOP that he’d run as an Indie if the RNC/'pub elites didn’t fall in line behind him in his bull in the china shop bid to win the nom.

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#24

Running as an independent worked for Murkowski. I believe she won as a write-in candidate.

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#25

We are seeing such stupid politicking unfold. No coherence, no vision, no plans for moving ahead, just bullying and threats of revenge and payback if no allegiance. Oh, and anger too if the repeal thing isn’t passed. He’s waiting with a Sharpie “in hand” to sign something.

@leftcoaster Her campaign was full of chutzpah, took down the tea partier whose name I’ve forgotten.

@pluckyinky Heller’s in an interesting fix. Governor Sandoval like most governors of both parties doesn’t want ACA repealed because they know how it will affect managing their state’s healthcare. So, loyal to party or a display of testosterone.

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#26

Flake is in almost the exact same position as Heller except Flake is in a safer position in the general election. Both face an increasingly insane, recalcitrant base who are turning further and further inward. Meanwhile, the president the base adores is deeply unpopular with the Democrats and Independents one needs to win a general election. They could do enough to appease the base and PP, and yet get killed in the general. Their best hope is a crowded primary field where they can crush their opponents with money and name recognition.

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#27

This will work for me. The threat of being primaried for not falling into line with the party has always been out there, so now the hand is tipped. Wonderful. So now, the Arizona Democratic party knows what’s going on and has enough time to groom a candidate that can run on one of two things: against Flake and his vote FOR the AHCA or, if he votes against it, the new candidate that would work even harder to take healthcare away from his constituents, since Flake was unwilling to do it.

This could get interesting. With the number of retirees in AZ, this could get real interesting.

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#28

Joe Miller -Tea Party candidate.

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#29

True in the General Election. The bind for Flake is that running against Trump’s guy in the primary could be fatal.

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#30

The guy with the perpetual five o’clock shadow.

@arc_of_the_universe Who’s the future candidate who’s willing to be hung with “trump’s guy” or do I just not understand AZ politics and it would a boost.

#31

They absolutely need Jeff Flake if they are to pass their no-healthcare bill. Will this news make it more or less likely that he’ll vote against the bill? I’d say more likely.

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#32

Same interpretation here - I wondered which ones of the repub primary challengers would NOT be “flake”?
Let’s hope the Flake News doesn’t turn out to be damaging to America.

#33

yes, she won as a write-in candidate after the teabagger beat her in the primary. Which is why I can never understand why she is so prone to caving to McConnell. She’s already proven she can fight off a primary challenge, as a write-in for crying out loud! She should consider herself as having leverage, not having to wuss out and toe the party line in fear of retaliation.

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#34

On the one hand, good.
On the other, given past examples, there will be no follow-through or else campaign ads will begin to air two weeks after the primary.

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#35

this is how he rolls. he has no policy arguments. Revenge is his policy. we got a Mafia Don for president. what a Role Model for Americas children

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#36

I certainly hope you’re right, but why do you think this is so? Because he already hates trump and will be pissed off? Or some other reason? I’m not so sure personal dislike can overcome the need for political self-preservation.

#37

Flake is deemed to be “unclear” on his position to vote No or Yes according to NYT as of a couple weeks ago along with a bunch of other Rs. I take this to mean they’re going to vote No but can’t announce yet as Turtle will bite them.

Happy to report that all Dems including Manchin and the two INDs are firmly No.

@old_curmudgeon

@massie If Murkowski doesn’t want to be stripped of any important role in the Senate including which committees she’s assigned to she can’t piss off McConnell.

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#38

That’s the kind of crap that eventually made it impossible for him to build anything in NYC. Nobody would lend him money or work with him in any way.

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#39

That was a bit different. Alaska, as you know, is a much smaller state, and that made it easier to launch a write-in campaign. Everyone understood it was going to be Murkowski or Joe Miller, and the Dem stood little chance, so a lot of Democrats and Indies wrote in her name. Flake running third party would most likely result in the Democrat winning. I’m totally fine with that. Lol

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#40

This will certainly endear the Senate GOP Caucus to the White House.

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